


Numb: The Omakes/Specials

by BlueIsTheColourOfOurPlanet



Series: Numb + Omakes [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Al's dead, Crimes & Criminals, Depressed Edward Elric, Gen, Omakes to Numb, Parental Roy Mustang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-06-08 01:20:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6833062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueIsTheColourOfOurPlanet/pseuds/BlueIsTheColourOfOurPlanet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The deleted scenes / scenes written as a special for my lovely reviewers on FFN, connected to my story Numb.<br/>Or: More parental!Roy/Ed fluff and drama.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For my dear reviewers on FFN who by now left me so incredibly many encouraging opinions. Thank you all very much for all the support!
> 
> And of course for the kind souls who left me a comment here on AO3, big thanks to you too!

**...So this one should have been the beginning of chapter 22** **_Starting and Finding,_ ** **though for some reason I only came up with it now, when trying to think of some nice Roy and Ed moments. Just imagine that it was there :D**

Ed was not sure why Warm Rock wanted to leave the confines of this safe place. There only was the dull ringing of a memory in his head that told him that Warm Rock and Professional Presence spoke about getting on a train some time before. Though it didn't serve to appease his confusion, no, it made him even more insecure.

For one thing he didn't even know if they would be separated once they reached that train. The thought was quite horrible and made him squeeze Warm Rock's hand, trying to anchor the warm presence to himself and to this place. So Warm Rock had been trying to coax him out of the door for quite some time now, but to no avail. Usually Ed didn't mind to just follow whoever grabbed his hand to lead him somewhere, but that was before he found this presence that held the keys to him getting better again. Now that he had it he refused to let it go until he found out just what exactly he needed from it. So he didn't mind taking the effort of being a bit stubborn and not moving out of the door.

"Okay, Fullmetal, that's it! We can't take the nice and slow way when there's a train that won't wait for us," Warm Rock huffed.

A train that won't wait for _us_. Did that mean they wouldn't be separated? Why didn't Warm Rock say that from the beginning? He just considered following Warm Rock out of the apartment after all, when said presence just bend down to throw Ed over its shoulder and simply carry him like a sack of flour. Or at least it attempted to do so.

_Smack._

"Ouch! Lieutenant what was that for?!" it yelped and sat Ed down again, rubbing its head.

"I'm sorry sir, but this is the _fourth_ time you lost patience and attempted to carry him even though you are _still not_ supposed to carry heavy things! I just thought that maybe I could get it through to you this way, it's for your own good. We can't have you high on pain killers, they seem to cloud your judgement already as it is if you ignore the doctor's orders for the fourth time. So I apologise, but I will _not_ let you carry Edward."

"Yeah, yeah, all right!" Warm Rock grumbled after a while. "But you didn't have to smack me! What if you startled me so much that I dropped him?!"

Professional Presence sounded confident. "You wouldn't even drop him if I shot you in the leg."

And then it proceeded to usher the two alchemists to the train station.

**This was inspired by the scene where Hawkeye yells at Mustang for coming to rescue them from Gluttony in that tower even though he was supposed to stay at his office. "Yeah, yeah, I'm an idiot!" Haha I love it how he says that :D**

**Now, what else can I give to you... ah yes! Remember, there was a gap of seven days I didn't write anything about in between Chapter 20** **_Left, Right, Up_ ** **and Chapter 21** **_Two Can Keep A Secret If One Of Them Is Dead,_ ** **where the Mustang Team basically just sat around and waited for the killer to make their move with the knowledge that Mustang knew about the array layout on the map. And since you people responded so well to the part of Chapter 20 where there was one scene of Ed and Roy banter per week day, I decided to do that again and try to let those two have a good time since I've been so mean to them lately. So here are my crappy attempts at humour and other stuff, have fun!**

**Monday has already been in the chapter, so let's start with Tuesday...**

_Tuesday_

Since Mustang calculated that the killer and/or his employer would need at least seven days to realise that the colonel and his team were leaving him to make the first step in their game with now changed rules, there was no need to be on edge and wait for a murder to occur every day. That's why after work Ed lay stretched out on Mustang's couch, reading one of the colonel's books, completely comfortable and relaxed. Of course it was still stupid to let down your guard completely so there was still the small standard alert part of him, but for the most part he left the worrying to Mustang. The colonel was good at keeping track of everything around them and sometimes Ed even thought his commanding officer was a bit too paranoid, mostly because of that thought he felt safe enough in Mustang's apartment to lose himself to the contents of the book for a while.

Turns out that while Ed didn't have to fear about a threat from _outside_ he should have thought about those from _inside_. Because even though he could be the most mature guy in the world when they were in the office, when very bored and/or at home Mustang sometimes showed some almost childish streaks which resulted in him indulging in practical jokes to his amusement. It was very rare for the colonel to give in to such things, but sometimes it just happened.

So when Ed jumped in alert at the sudden flash that lit up the room, a paper cup filled with water fell down on him. Sitting there suddenly wet it took Ed a moment to realise that Mustang had actually managed to balance that thing on Ed's head in an attempt to find out just how absorbed the teen was with his book. And once done with that the colonel had actually taken a picture.

Ed very carefully put the book aside, making sure the thankfully not very expensive or scarce tome was dry and then turned to the smirking Mustang for revenge.

"I _should_ be angry, but then getting wet isn't a big deal for me. After all it's _you_ who's rendered useless by water."

Mustang was quite grumpy for the rest of the evening.

**Okay maybe a bit out of character, not really bantering and not as funny as it seemed when it was still in my head, but still. Anyway, let's go on:**

_Wednesday_

Ed looked over to Mustang, who watched the world outside of the car through the window as they drove back to the apartment after work.

"Colonel?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know how to cook stew?"

"Yes, it's what I eat when I get ill."

"You mind making some without getting ill first?"

"No, I guess I don't mind. Why, do you like stew?" The colonel finally turned towards him, curious.

Ed nodded. "Don't know why but it tastes awesome."

"Then I guess I can cook it sometime," Mustang offered with a hint of a smile.

Ed couldn't help but grin happily. "Can you cook it today?"

"Impossible." That smirk meant trouble.

"What? Aw come ooon! Why's it _impossible_?"

"Remember the milk I bought yesterday?"

"...uh...yeah...?"

"Remember where it was this morning?"

"..."

"Exactly: Not. In. The. Fridge."

"Damn."

"...So will you stop doing whatever you do to the poor milk if I promise to make stew every once in a while?"

"...I guess."

"Good."

"So can we buy some new milk now?"

"I never expected to hear these words from you. You really like stew, huh?"

"Yes I do... Stop grinning like that!"

Mustang only grinned wider but then turned back to the window.

"...So can we buy milk now?" Ed finally inquired again.

"You'll have to wait until tomorrow."

"Okay, so it will be stew tomorrow. I can wait until then. Don't you dare forget about it though!"

Mustang merely chuckled."If it keeps the milk in the fridge then I think I can remember."

* * *

_Thursday_

"Fullmetal?"

"Hmhm?"

"Why don't you go read a book?"

Ed critically watched Mustang cooking stew. He scrutinised every movement the older alchemist made and every ingredient that was used. For one because he wanted to make sure the stew was made right and two because Mustang's eyebrow started to twitch after a while. Ed grinned.

" 'Cause it's fun to stare until you start feeling uncomfortable."

"Did you ever consider that I might ruin the stew if you keep getting on my nerves?"

"Naw, if you couldn't work under some pressure then you'd be dead already."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Could you still stop staring, though? My stew's not going to be as good as the one cooked by whoever made you like it so much, anyway, no matter how much you make sure I put the right stuff in it."

Ed blinked and thoughtfully cocked his head to the side. "What makes you think so?"

"People tend to idolise their favourite food so in the end their expectations can only be met if it is cooked by the same person who cooked it when they started to like it. Said person who cooked also has to be someone the person who eats likes very much. It's the my-granny's-cookies-are-the-best effect."

"Has this ever been proved in a study or something?"

"Don't know, it's just an observation I made."

"You study people's thoughts about food?"

"I study people in general. I like to be able to predict their behaviour."

"Manipulative jerk."

"Grumpy midget who probably only grew taller than a baby because of the bits of milk he consumes with stew."

Now Ed's eyebrow was twitching and Mustang was smirking.

**The good ol' Ed-likes-stew-theme, I couldn't resist it. Hm, I just realised** **_Numb_ ** **doesn't contain a single proper short-rant. I guess Ed's still not himself enough for those. Poor boy, I really am mean for letting him suffer so much.**

_Friday_

It was past midnight when Ed woke up because he needed to go use the bathroom. How he hated this, why did his bladder have to interrupt a good night's sleep? He sleepily left his room and made his way across the living room, but froze when he heard the faint sound of someone breathing. Was there someone in the apartment who wasn't supposed to be here?

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and berated himself for not realising sooner that the small lamp on Mustang's desk was still on. It cast a soft orange light on a person who was indeed supposed to be in the apartment, only not in the living room. But it seemed the colonel did fall asleep at his desk instead of being tucked away in his bed.

Now, what was Ed supposed to do about that? Should he wake the man or let him sleep, maybe even drape a blanket over him? He went over and peered at Mustang's face. It didn't look like the Flame was dreaming about something nice, actually he looked rather stressed and the fingers of his right hand were twitching. Even though the thumb didn't touch the fingers, Ed was grateful that Mustang wasn't wearing his gloves.

He took a look at the files Mustang was sleeping upon and sadness filled him. Those papers were all part of the investigation of Hughes' murder. The colonel's subordinates sometimes quietly voiced their concern about Mustang's obsession-bordering tries to find out who killed his best friend to one another, but whenever they attempted to bring it up to Mustang the colonel brushed it aside, stayed low for a while and then started investigating again anyway. In the end all they could do was trust Mustang not to lose himself in this and the colonel appreciated their trust with one of his rare true smiles.

Finally Ed decided to carefully pull the files free from underneath Mustang's sleeping form and stack them neatly in the corner of the desk so they wouldn't be the first thing the colonel saw when waking up and immediately pull him down again. And since Ed was sure Mustang wouldn't appreciate him seeing his commanding officer in the vulnerable state of someone who just woke up from what appeared to be a silent nightmare, he then proceed to go use the bathroom and on his way back into his room slammed the door loud enough to wake Mustang but not the neighbours.

After all he couldn't risk the colonel getting a stiff neck from sleeping on his desk all night. He'd be grumpy all morning and a grumpy colonel burned breakfast.

And also he knew the feeling of being trapped in a nightmare, wishing for someone to wake him up.

**Where was the humour here, you ask? Don't know, I just read a sad poem (from allisonwonderland1496, really good!) and so sadness chased humour away. Got to go and find it again now... Ah, there it is! It hid underneath my bed.**

_Saturday_

"Colonel?"

"What is it?"

Ed was snickering. "Why's there a pink bookmark with hearts on it in this book?"

"Huh?" Mustang came over and stared at the pink piece of paper in Ed's hand. "Oh. Must be from the lady who sold it to me."

"Didn't you read the book after buying it?"

"I did."

"Then why didn't you put that thing away? Do you like pink things with lots of hearts on them?" Ed grinned even wider.

Mustang huffed. "No."He snatched the bookmark away and turned it over. "I'm sure there was some reason I kept it- Oh."

"What is it?"

"It's got her phone number on it and I was supposed to call her."

" _Supposed_ to?"

"I forgot. I planned to do so after reading through it, but it seems I was too busy thinking about the book to remember that hideous bookmark."

"And here you laugh at me for getting too absorbed in a book!"

"I, at least, realise it when someone balances things on my head."

"I take that as a challenge Mustang!"

"Bring it on Elric!"

Since that evening Colonel Mustang didn't read expensive or rare books in the living room anymore because he feared them getting wet from Ed's futile attempts to balance a paper cup filled with water on his head.

**Inspired by a random bookmark I found in a library book. Still debating if I should call the number on it, just to find out who else would read that book :D**

_Sunday_

Edward had been alone in the apartment for a while now because Mustang was out "dating", meaning information gathering. Over time the young alchemist had gotten used to emerging from the book he was reading once every hour or so and talk to the colonel about its contents, sharing opinions and sometimes even asking for an explanation. Ed _was_ an alchemy genius, but sometimes there were things you just couldn't think of yourself, things you had to know from other books. Such as references from other alchemists' work. So every once in a while Ed asked what the book meant by, for example, 'Roller's Theory of Disintegrating' and Mustang would recite said theory or tell Ed which book contained it so he could read it up himself. It depended on how busy the colonel was.

Ed was still a bit surprised about Mustang's vast knowledge, but the older alchemist told him that he did actually have basic and neutral training in alchemy before he specialised in Flame Alchemy. And even though he didn't do much beyond using fire at the moment, he still remembered everything his teacher had once drilled into his head and occasionally enjoyed reading about it. Hence his wonderful book collection.

Anyway, getting used to talking to Mustang about alchemy now resulted in Ed being bored because the colonel had been gone for a few hours already. Therefore Ed now decided to go for a walk. Though when he opened the door he was faced with Mustang, one hand outstretched from attempting to open the door as well, and his date clinging to his arm.

For a second they all stared in slight surprise, then the woman squealed. "Awww Roy, is he yours? He's so cute!"

Both alchemists spluttered.

"No, he's _not_ mine. Maraike, this is Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. Ed, this is Maraike," the colonel smoothly introduced, regaining his composure fast.

"Uh, hi." Ed was still shocked because that woman assumed he was related to Roy - he was nowhere near similar to Mustang.

"Hello, nice to meet you!" she happily greeted.

"I hope you didn't make a mess in the living room and the kitchen while I was gone, I offered Maraike some coffee," Mustang said, perfectly concealing his uncertainty of wanting Maraike in the apartment after that assumption.

"Uh, no it's all tidy, I can go start the coffee..." Ed hurried to half hide in the kitchen, completely forgetting about going for a walk.

Luckily, Maraike dropped her giggling stupid girl demeanour once the door was closed behind her and calmly exchanged information with the colonel.

**Okayyy I should stop for today, this one was really weak. If this is still here when I post this stuff then only because my brain refused to come up with something better.**

_Monday_

"Colonel?"

"Yes?"

"I'm bored."

"Wanna help me with paperwork?"

"That's even more boring!"

Mustang sighed and turned away from the extra paperwork he'd been forced to take home to complete because he didn't finish it at the office. Hawkeye had brought Black Hayate in today and when she left the room for a while the dog had moved from its place next to her desk and scared the hell out of Breda, who apparently wasn't very fond of dogs. Mustang had taken quite some time to try and free his subordinate of that fear by playing with the dog to show what a nice animal it was. Needless to say that no paperwork had been done then and Breda still didn't like the dog, who revelled in all the attention of the procrastinating soldiers.

"So what am I supposed to do now?"

"Come up with something interesting for me to do!" Ed explained like it was obvious.

"Go for a walk, if you're bored moving usually helps."

"Hmpf." Ed wasn't convinced.

There was a thoughtful silence for a while and Mustang turned back to his papers.

Then Ed grinned. "Hey colonel, are you any good for a sparing match?"

"It's far too late in the evening and I'm currently trying to do my work."

"You're just trying to avoid getting beaten, old man."

Mustang's brow twitched, but the colonel tried to ignore him and scribbled on his paper.

"Come ooon, just a bit training of throwing punches, you can still do that much, can you?" Ed coaxed.

"I can, but I won't right now."

"Ah, but I know you want to get away from these papers... just half an hour?"

"And you call _me_ manipulating."

"I'm not manipulating you! Manipulating is silently and secretly, I'm just flat out trying to convince you!"

"You spied out a weakness, namely me not liking paperwork, and you try to use it against me. That's manipulating."

"Argh now you're trying to throw me off course and make me forget I wanted to spar!"

"And you actually realised that? I'm impressed."

"Ugh you... you're unbelievable!"

"Well thank you."

Ed threw a couch pillow at him.

Five minutes later Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist and respected colonel of the Amestrian Military was engaged in a pillow fight with one Edward Elric who always claimed he wasn't a child.

**Soooo this was my so called 'special' for you. Hope you liked it :)**

**Special thanks to** **xIcyChanx** **for being an** **awesome** **beta!**


	2. Numb: The Future

**Shaving**

Edward looked at his face in the mirror, craning his head into every direction to properly asses the problem. A problem consisting of soft blond stubble growing all over his face. Well, not _all_ over it, but where a beard is supposed to grow.

Oh, damn. He was growing a beard. Ed did not like this. First because it would show off his resemblance to Hohenheim even more and second because he had no idea about how shaving was done. And he did not like the idea of bringing that sharp razor blade anywhere near his face when he did not know how to do so right. Not to mention he didn't even own a razor. Growling in annoyance he once again touched the offending little hairs on his chin. Maybe he could fashion himself a razor from his automail? He was startled out of his thoughts by a knock on the bathroom door.

"Fullmetal hurry up, damn it, we're running late and I still need to shave!"

"Well, so do I!" Ed yelled back in frustration.

There was a pause, then Mustang asked, " _What?!_ " in a rather dumbfounded way.

"You heard me!"

Another moment of silence then Mustang said, "Well, hurry up then!" like he still couldn't believe it.

Ed gripped the counter tight, fighting with himself for a second before turning around, ripping the door open and pulling Mustang into the room. "Show me how to if you want me to hurry up!" he demanded and pressed Mustang's razor into the startled man's hands before deviantly crossing his arms in front of his chest.

The colonel just blinked in surprise. "You don't know how to...?"

"How would I if no one ever taught me!" Ed grumbled.

"Right..." For a moment Mustang looked like he wasn't sure what to do, then he found his calm again. "Do you have a razor?" he asked while opening the bathroom cabinet and pulling out a brush and a cup for the foam.

"No, I didn't need one until now."

Mustang placed the things on the counter, then took a moment to really look at Ed. "Huh, the runt is really starting to grow facial hair!" he then muttered to himself. Not quite quietly enough though because Edward heard it.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE LOOKS LIKE A BABY STILL AGES AWAY FROM GROWING A BEARD?!"

The Flame Alchemist reflexively held out one hand to press against Edward's forehead so he could keep the flailing Fullmetal away from him. Then he laughed heartily. "Growing a beard but ranting like you're still twelve years old," he then said, grinning.

Ed huffed, but stopped flailing in favour of crossing his arms in front of his chest. "So what do I do about that damn beard now?!"

Still chuckling the colonel dug through the cabinet once more until he finally pulled out a second razor. "There, it should do for now." Ed awkwardly took the razor, looking at it from all angles. Mustang on the other hand thoughtfully scratched his head. "Well, how to explain this best...?" the man mused.

"Well, how was it explained to you?" Ed asked with a shrug.

"I taught myself," the colonel admitted. "There was no one to teach me. By the time I started to grow stubble I was still an apprentice and well, Master Hawkeye didn't exactly care how I looked as long as I studied hard. I learned on my own because the stubble annoyed me and I knew that I would have to learn sooner or later anyway if I was planning to enlist."

"Oh," Ed said quietly.

Mustang just shrugged. "Well," he then announced, deftly putting some foam onto his cheeks as he did so, "Let's make sure you have a better start than I did, because I'm still amazed that bloody first attempt of mine didn't leave any scars."

"Yeah, I got enough of those," Ed said, not quite as grim as he could have though, and also smeared some foam into his face.

The blond felt a bit like a stupid toddler as he followed Mustang's instructions and did his best to copy the man's moves. Though oddly enough he didn't mind. Standing next to the taller form of the colonel, doing as he did and succeeding had something reassuring about it.

Ed almost nicked his skin though when he realised that usually the father was the one who taught a boy how to shave. But then he simply smiled and continued.

It was like family dinners at the table. There never was a blood relative of Ed around but that didn't mean he was alone.

He kept the new razor Mustang gave him for his birthday for the rest of his life.

**.**

**Growth Spurts**

"Fullmetal?"

"Hmhm?"

"You've grown some, haven't you?"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A DWARF THAT WILL REMAIN AS SHORT AS A TODDLER FOR FORVER?! Yes I did grow!"

"Sooo... do you feel less intelligent then?"

"What?!"

"Okay I seem to have been right."

"With what?!"

"Remember, we once talked about how you never grew because all your energy went to your brain?"

"And just because I'm taller now and don't remember that insignificant idiotic thought of yours you think I'm dumber now?!"

"Maybe?"

"I think you're the one who's gone dumb with age."

"I'm not that old yet!"

"You are."

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"You're both childish idiots, _sirs_ , now go back to work!"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

…

"Hey Fullmetal..."

"Yeah?"

"You might have grown some after all but I'm still taller than you!"

General Roy Mustang and Major Edward Elric spent the next five minutes cowering under their desks in fear as Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye emptied a clip into the walls behind those desks.

**.**

**The Crippled And The Blind**

"Ouch!"

"How come you can walk into the kitchen to get a glass of water in the middle of the night without bumping into anything even though you never switch the lights on, yet now you walk into the couch?" Ed asked while coming out of his room to take a seat on the couch as well.

"At night I was still able to see shapes Fullmetal, now I see nothing," Mustang answered as he too sat down on said piece of furniture he just walked into.

"Okay. I guess that might be true... So when will Marcoh be here?"

Mustang swallowed. "Three. I think it's quarter to three."

"It is,", Ed said, nodding even though that was useless. Mustang had hated being unable to tell the time on his own. But when Winry had come to fix Ed's once again busted automail she had build a mechanism into the Flame's pocket watch that made it chime the time every hour and do an almost too silent to be heard _Ding_ every quarter of an hour. Mustang hadn't known what to say, stuttering out a surprised thank you and treating the watch so carefully that Winry promptly lectured Ed about how he never was that grateful for her precious automail. Even now Mustang was holding the watch ever so carefully, moving it between his fingers as he seemed lost in thought.

"Do you-..." the colonel finally started but trailed off, before trying again. "Do you hate me?"

Ed stared. "What?!"

Mustang carefully kept his face blank. "I'm about to use a Philosopher's Stone...All the souls..."

Edward looked at his hands in his lap. He would've never used the stone himself. But then...

"I don't hate you," he said and it was the truth. Mustang next to him tried to keep his sigh of relief soundless. "You use those souls to become able to rebuild their home, their culture. You want to make the whole country better, want to make it accept the Ishvalans as a part of Amestris, too. If it weren't for that goal..."

"I would stay blind," Mustang said. And that was also the truth.

Ed once again nodded his head. "And that's why I don't hate you. You don't only want to correct a selfish mistake. You said all you ever wanted was to make this twisted world a bit better. And you told me that if you were one of those souls then you'd rather be used to help someone than spend eternity in a soul cocktail. I think those souls that are going to help you will think the same about you and your Ishval Project. They won't hate you. I don't hate you."

A lot of tenseness seemed to drop from Mustang's shoulders. "Thank you."

"Nah, don't worry too much, you'll make your face all wrinkled until it looks like the face of... what are those strange little dogs called again that made me accuse the owner of creating a chimera out of dog and naked mole rat?"

He grinned as he saw Mustang lighten up when remembering that story. "Pug Dog?"

"Yeah those!"

The colonel scowled. "I will not look like a Pug Dog when getting old!"

"You will if you keep worrying like that, so stop frowning!"

"If I'm going to be a Pug then you'll be a Bulldog, you certainly frown enough, too."

"A Bulldog is taller than a Pug. I can live with that."

Mustang opened his mouth to say something but the sound of knocking at the door interrupted them. Ed went to let in a serious looking Dr. Marcoh. Having been taken as the fifth sacrifice to replace Alphonse, Marcoh had also had to pay a price. From the man who wanted to spent the rest of his days healing people the gate had taken both his hands, leaving him unable to even put a plaster on the scraped knee of a kid. But Marcoh took it rather well, fitted with automail he tried to overcome his handicap and even though he had to rely on alchemy alone now he was planning on heading back to his village and remain a doctor.

Together Ed and Marcoh drew the circle on the living room floor. Ed had very carefully scrubbed down the whole floor beforehand. Even if whatever chalk dust left over from his attempt of human transmutation here had long since faded away, he still remembered that nightmare image of Mustang's mutilated corpse all too clearly and didn't want to chance it.

The colonel was decidedly nervous when Ed finally guided him into the circle. Ed couldn't blame him. So far there had never come anything good from contact with the gate.

Finally Edward went to sit on the couch, even though he felt like pacing up and down, his nerves fluttering like an army of butterflies, and watched as Marcoh knelt, then took the red gleaming stone from his pocket. "Ready?" he asked. Mustang in the circle nodded. Hands met lines and suddenly the room was illuminated by enough light to swallow Marcoh and Mustang whole. Ed didn't know if they were completely gone or if he just couldn't see them with the blending light, but as he reluctantly closed his eyes from the painful glowing he actually prayed to the gate to not screw them all over yet again.

But suddenly the light leaped out of the circle, grasping him, and the next thing Ed knew there was excruciating pain followed by a myriad of sensation that threatened to overcome him. He wasn't used to those nerves telling him anything but the cold contact to the metal of his automail. Then the light died.

Edward immediately scrambled to the circle, panic flooding him. What exactly had gone wrong?! Was Mustang all right?! And Marcoh? The doctor seemed tired but all right, yet Mustang was still lying down! He grabbed the man by the shoulders and shook. "Mustang! Mustang! Dammit Colonel, don't tell me it went wrong, come on! Are you all right?!"

The older alchemist groaned and sat up, rubbing his temples. The younger sighed in relief.

"Are you all right?" he then asked once more.

Eyes still closed, the colonel turned to Ed. "I think so."

"Good. But then what was that back leash about?"

"Fullmetal," Mustang said, opening his eyes, blinking a few times and then fixing a wonderfully piercing stare at the young adult. "There has been no back leash."

"But-..."

And there was that smirk that was only ever complete with that annoying sly look. Ed's own eyes went wide and he looked down towards the tingly sensation at his side. "You damn bastard," he said, the words meaning something completely different though.

"Never said I wasn't. And don't worry, they're okay with it."

"They?"

"Truth seemed to hope that throwing me in with all those souls would change my mind and keep me from cheating It."

Ed just gaped. Mustang just grinned even wider, then he demanded to be the first to shake Edward Elric's right flesh hand.

**Figured since in this story Havoc got away without being paralysed I could do Ed a favour :D**

**.**

**A sturdy piece of furniture**

Ed looked down at the desk with a bittersweet smile. He was tempted to just leave it as it was and he was sure the successor of the job this house was bound to wouldn't mind, seeing as this desk was where a legend had been working at. But the rules said that all personal items had to be removed to make space for the next Prime Minister and that's what Ed and the others who'd come to help would do.

So here Ed was, having decided he would take care of this desk. And he couldn't help his eyes turning moist.

He'd first seen this desk in Mustang's Central-apartment and he'd never really realised how deeply the image of Mustang sitting at it, sometimes working, sometimes lazing about with his feet on the table top, had burned itself into his memory until now when he could see the picture so clearly. When he'd moved into the apartment Mustang had said he never furnished the room that had become Ed's as a study because he came to like the small desk in the living room. When he'd made it to General and bought a house the man had taken that desk with him saying since it had served him well and he felt too lazy to empty out the drawers there was no reason to leave it behind. So they had taped the drawers shut and put the whole thing into the truck as it was. Ed had never made a stupid comment about it because he too thought it would be a shame to leave behind this sturdy little piece of furniture when there were so many memories glued to it. Like that epic moment when Mustang had stood on top of it to practice his inauguration speech for becoming Führer while totally drunk.

And after finally having done the speech for real and while sober Mustang had moved into the Führer's mansion on the grounds of Central HQ and again the desk had simply been taped shut for the ride and taken along. Whenever Ed had come to visit there had been some papers on top of it, telling that Mustang still made use of it despite the big mahogany desk in the study.

But Mustang's days had come to an end, and the desk's days with him.

Ed smiled at the photographs on the tabletop before slowly packing them into a box. The old, faded pictures of Hughes and the team back then with Ed still a kid. Even that stupid picture of Ed reading on the couch with a paper cup of water balanced on his head that Mustang had put there out of boredom had made it here. Then the newer pictures of the family Mustang had finally founded, little Maes who liked to call Ed big brother and was never corrected on it and when younger loved to pull the blond's ponytail, much to the amusement of his father. It still amazed Ed how despite finally mustering up the courage for a child of his own blood Mustang had never treated him like he was any less important. Maes had once asked, "Why do you keep calling dad Mustang?" and Ed had said, "Because it's easier to yell than Roy. The ba- bald idiot keeps calling me short even though he's got only one centimetre on me!"

"Dad's not bald."

"He will be if he calls me short one more time." Ed had tried to save the situation. Mustang would kill him for teaching Maes curse words and insults. "But really? I keep calling him Mustang because that's who he has always been to me. I got to know him as Mustang and he proved himself to me as Mustang, gave me more than I could ever hope for while still remaining the same annoying pri- -nce charming who makes far too big a fuss about looking all proper. I'd keep calling him Colonel if he wouldn't flame me for that. And then who else is there to simply call our dear Führer by his last name? He's Roy to your mum, he's the Führer to the military and the world. For me he's plain old Mustang. And I think he enjoys it. If he didn't he would have already told me to please call him Roy. Or burned me." And little Maes had giggled at the mental picture of his dad chasing Ed with flames while Ed had good-naturedly rolled his eyes.

And now Ed was here, rolling his eyes as well but then wiping them as he put the pictures in a box, as well as all the other stuff on that table top. Funny how he knew the story behind every scratch, dent and burn mark on that thing. At last he went to the drawers.

He laughed heartily at a bunch of paperwork that would have been due when Mustang had still been a colonel. He went through some alchemy notes that were loosely crammed in there. And then his eyes went wide as he fetched out the last sheets of paper, a by now yellowed bunch connected at the upper left corner with a stapler pin.

He had known that Mustang had been willing to go through with it. But he'd never had any other prove than the man's words and his continued care. And that had been enough, it really had been, yet now that he was holding a legal and ready request for adoption bearing Mustang's signature he couldn't help the happiness flooding through him. And it seemed that Mustang had known what he was doing by keeping those papers because there was a note pinned to them. And underneath the doodle of a pocket watch it read:

_I know that the day you look through these drawers will be the day when I'm gone. I figured you might need something to cheer you up that day so I never threw these papers away. Thought it would be good for you to know that I didn't leave this world to walk out on you._

_So don't miss me too much and watch above my legacy, whatever that will be, I don't know yet. If I make Führer and turn this government around then kick whoever is going to be Prime Minister after me into their ass so they won't think about playing dictator again. And should I ever do Hughes the favour of finding myself a wife and then muster up the courage to have a child with her after all, well... I'm guessing you won't need any instructions from me to look after them because you'll be part of that family._

_So I hope you found these papers, (you should have, they're in the bottom drawer where even you can reach them) and remember this bastard fondly._

_Sincerely,_

_Colonel Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist, grateful to have met you_

Ed decided there and then that he would keep the damn desk and put it up in his own living room.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**And because I can't let you go all sad:**

**.**

**That epic moment when Mustang stood on top of his desk and did a speech**

"We need to get him completely drunk!" Havoc decided as he stood in the kitchen, itching for a cigarette which the now general wouldn't allow him to smoke inside of his apartment and just realising that they had several stupid stories about drunk deeds of everyone but Mustang. And maybe Ed, who at seventeen didn't have much experience concerning going out to a bar.

"And how do you plan to do that?" asked Edward while shovelling some of the snacks laid out onto his plate.

"We need to spike the punch."

"The punch _is_ spiked."

"No, what I mean is we need to spike _his_ punch _double_ so when we get out the heavy stuff he will drink his normal limit but without realising that he already has a stronger base than usual."

"You mean we make him drunk secretly?"

"Yes!"

Ed looked around. So far their party to celebrate Mustang's promotion to General was relatively calm and Mustang himself was on the couch talking with Breda. Edward grinned. "Okay, let's do it, I always wanted to see him drunk!"

And so they proceeded to smuggle shot glasses full of the heavier sort of alcohol into Mustang's punch glasses. Some of the others realised it but only giggled and kept their mouth shut. The general himself looked at his glass with a confused look twice but otherwise didn't seem to suspect anything. So when they finally officially brought out the heavy alcohol Mustang was too dazed already to realise that his normal amount of drinks would be too much today.

"Hey Colonel!" Edward called, trying to bring the man over so they could stuff him into the dress Ed had transmuted from a bed sheet.

"'M a General now Ful'mdl!" Mustang corrected, index finger raised to underline the importance of that.

"And I'll probably keep calling you Colonel forever anyway, old habits die hard."

"Nah, I'll let ya gedaway for now but once 'm Füh- _hicks_ -rer Mustang you can't do anything but learn 'cause my title will be al'over da news! There'll be speeches an' stuff!"

Oh, this was brilliant. Ed had to bit his tongue in order not to laugh.

"You'll do speeches?"

"Owfcourse! Like my inau- ..inauga-. No. inu-. Uhuh... inau- gu- gu- Ah damn it!"

"Inauguration speech?"

"Precisely that thing!"

Ed wondered how Mustang managed to say precisely when a second ago he'd stumbled over inauguration.

"Well, can't wait to hear it!" He chuckled.

"Already got it all done!" Mustang said proudly.

"You do?"

"Yes!"

Ed smirked darkly. "How about you give us a sneak peak then?"

"I could do that..."

And five seconds later Mustang had managed to climb onto the desk.

"Dear people of Amestris!..."

Needless to say that Ed was more than scared when Mustang took him along for his first bender and pushed over a drink with a smirk that said Ed would be dancing on the table later on.

Well, Ed didn't dance on the table, but he climbed onto a tree and wouldn't come down until Mustang and the others called the fire fighters who brought a ladder.


End file.
